The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is still nailing down guidelines for the commercial use of drones, also referred to as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). However, once those rules are implemented, drone technology could prove invaluable for many industries. Many small and medium business owners stand to benefit as these machines can help you save time, reduce staffing needs, and diagnose, prevent and manage issues before they become costly problems.
Lower end drones start at the $1,000 mark, but drone technology can easily exceed $100,000. Such price tags can deter some business owners from even considering drones for their business. However, advocates claim the data the machines collect saves so much time and money that the return on investment is relatively quick in most cases.
Here are four industries drone technology is poised to revolutionize:
Agriculture
Walking the fields to monitor crops is a time-consuming process for farmers, and while satellites and manned planes can be used to gather information, they’re expensive, and the data is often hard to collect, process and analyze quickly enough to make necessary changes. Drones, on the other hand, enable farmers to see and monitor their crops in real-time. They can catch problems—for example, a disease outbreak, watering issue or insect infestation—and quickly react before it threatens the crop.
In addition, drones can be used for precision agriculture, allowing farmers to minimize their use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, saving money and preventing environmental issues.
Drones can even help farmers locate lost or injured livestock. One of the most important uses is to assess crop yields and improve plans for future plantings, ensuring that farmers avoid areas that don’t yield strong crops.
Construction
Because drones can go where humans and heavy equipment cannot, they offer contractors, architects and even clients views of grounds and buildings you wouldn’t otherwise be able to see.
In addition, drones can more accurately and quickly survey an area and create maps, making it possible to integrate Building Information Modeling (BIM) software. And they can simplify the environmental inspection and regulation process, allowing developers to survey areas for endangered wildlife, assess waterways and wetlands, and much more without disturbing the area.
But perhaps the most significant benefit of using drones for construction is safety: drones can enter areas hazardous to humans. For example, a drone can safely assess a building with structural damage or an area where gas leaks are probable. Not only that, but drones can simplify and allow for more thorough inspections of bridges, radio and telecommunications towers, and buildings.
Public Safety and Emergency Response
Many Americans may be skeptical of the use of drones for domestic investigative surveillance. However, drones can be used for finding and rescuing people, specifically in areas hit by tornadoes, hurricanes, and where floods have cut off access to roads.
They can also monitor traffic conditions and airport runways, and allow emergency personal to pinpoint and assess wrecks in order to better respond to emergencies.
Finally, drones can be used in risky situations to track down dangerous criminals without putting human officers at risk, so they could be instrumental in reducing crime and police officer deaths.
The government is still working out policies for commercial drone use, and privacy watchdog groups are voicing concerns over privacy rights in order to establish sound regulations for drone usage. According to the Pew Research Center, 63 percent of Americans don’t approve of commercial drones, so the technology still faces some hurdles.
Still, as these examples attest, there is great promise for business owners who want to utilize this innovative technology, and for entrepreneurs eager to break into a business poised for growth.